Struggling K’Ogalo will be keen to end a bad run of five matches without a win when they face the Soldiers in a top-flight battle
Gor Mahia will be keen to bounce back to winning ways when they take on Ulinzi Stars in an FKF Premier League match on Monday.
K’Ogalo have already conceded top-flight title and will be going flat out to steady their ship as they have not won in their last five matches, losing thrice and drawing twice.
Coach Sammy Omollo will also be searching for his first win since taking over on an interim basis following the exit of Portuguese tactician Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto two weeks ago.
| Game | Ulinzi Stars vs Gor Mahia |
| Date | Monday, July 26, 2021 |
| Time | 15:15 (EAT) |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In Kenya, the game will be LIVE on TV.
| Kenya TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| StarTimes - KTN Burudani | FKF Facebook Page |
| Outside Kenya TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| NONE | NONE |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Ulinzi Stars squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | James Saruni, and Jackton Odhiambo. |
| Defenders | Brian Birgen, Harun Mwale, George Omondi, Alex Khasambuli, Benard Ongoma, and Quintine Indeche. |
| Midfielders | Boniface Onyango, Clinton Omondi, John Kago, Byron Odiaga, Omar Borafya, and Kelvin Thairu. |
| Forwards | Elvis Khandoro, Ibrahim Shambi, Masuta Masita, Mark Bikokwa, Bonaventure Muchika, John Njuguna and Oscar Wamalwa. |
Ulinzi Stars coach Benjamin Nyangweso also challenged his players to bounce back to winning ways in the home fixture.
“We played well against KCB [in our last game] but we came out empty-handed so I have asked my players to respond with a win against Gor Mahia,” Nyangweso told Goal.
Probable XI Ulinzi Stars: Saruni (GK), Birgen, Mwale, Omondi, Khasambuli, Onyango, Clinton Omondi, Kago, Khandoro, Shambi, Masuta.
| Position | Gor Mahia squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Boniface Oluoch, Caleb Otieno, and Gad Mathews. |
| Defenders | Geoffrey Ochieng, Joachim Oluoch, Charles Momanyi, Philemon Otieno, Kevin Wesonga, Fred Nkata, Andrew Juma, Frank Odhiambo, and Harun Shakava. |
| Midfielders | Ernest Wendo, Alpha Onyango, Sydney Ochieng, Nicholas Omondi, and Victor Ayugi. |
| Forwards |
Jules Ulimwengu, Abdul Karim Nikiema, Clifton Miheso, and John Macharia. |
Coach Omollo has admitted his side his lacking consistency in their matches and has promised to work with what he has to turn the results around.
“We have lacked consistency in the last six matches because we have been rotating a lot. That usually destroys the balance of the team but we have to work with the situation we find ourselves in,” Omollo said ahead of the game.
“We also need to score more because we have scored only three goals in five games. We need to be sharper in attack, be calmer and composed and try to get ourselves in the game. If we can defend better and score more, I don’t see a reason why we should not finish the season strongly.”
Probable XI for Gor Mahia: Mathews, P. Otieno, Ochieng, Shakava, Momanyi, Wendo, Onyango, Nikiema, Ulimwengu, Macharia, Miheso.
Match Preview
Both teams suffered defeat in their last outings – Ulinzi Stars going down 2-1 against KCB while Gor Mahia lost 2-1 against Kariobangi Sharks.
In the first round meeting, Gor emerged winners after registering a 1-0 win while last season, the first-round meeting ended in a 0-0 draw before the second round tie was cancelled owing to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
In the last six matches between the two sides, Ulinzi Stars have only managed a single win against K’Ogalo while the outgoing champions have picked up three wins against the Soldiers, with two matches ending in draws.
Gor Mahia are currently placed eighth on the 18-team table with 40 points from 25 matches while Ulinzi are 10th with 34 points from 26 matches.